Caste hatred hits Chhattisgarh! Dalit family attacked in Raigarh, then social boycott
After the incident, a panchayat was called in the village. In this panchayat, the accused instigated other villagers and decided to expel four other Dalit families from the village besides Bhagalu Chauhan.
Published on: 02 Jun 2025, 5:19 pm
New Delhi. A serious case of caste-based attack on Dalit families, social boycott and police inaction has come to light in village Thakurpali under Pusaur police station area of Raigarh district of Chhattisgarh. This incident not only challenges the values of equality and justice of the Constitution, but also raises the question whether rural India is still living under the shadow of caste discrimination?
What is the whole matter?
Bhagal Chauhan, a resident of the village, supports his family by repairing motorcycles. A personal dispute between his son Mahesh Chauhan and a youth of the same village, Dilip Pradhan, suddenly took a casteist turn. Bhagal Chauhan told in his application to the Superintendent of Police, Raigarh that influential and unruly people of the upper caste attacked his house using this dispute as an excuse and started targeting the entire Dalit community.
According to the complaint filed with the police, around 10:30 pm on May 13, 2025, members of the Pradhan family and others armed with weapons barged into Bhagalu Chauhan’s house. The attack was premeditated — the house was vandalised, caste-specific abuses were hurled and he was assaulted. Bhagalu’s aged mother Tulsi Bai was also molested. A complaint was filed with the police on May 14 and an FIR was registered, but none of the accused have been arrested so far.
“If the police leave, we will expel them from the village”
Victim Bhagalu Chauhan said that he is being openly threatened by the accused. He said that the accused are threatening him by saying, “As long as the police are coming and going in the village, you people are safe. When the police leave, we will throw you out of the village.”
This has created an atmosphere of fear among other Dalit families in the village. Their lives have become miserable due to constant threats and social boycott.
Mass social boycott
After the incident, a panchayat was called in the village. In this panchayat, the accused instigated other villagers and decided to expel four other Dalit families from the village besides Bhagalu Chauhan. These include people like Arun Chauhan, Rahul Yadav, Vipin Yadav, Veeru, Rajni Baby Chauhan and Panigrahi Chauhan who had no connection with the original dispute.
The victims allege that after the FIR was filed, the village bullies started pressuring them to withdraw the police complaint or be ready to face boycott. It was said in a meeting:
The victim said, “If you want to live in the village then withdraw the case. Otherwise face social boycott.”
Question on police inaction!
Despite the FIR being filed, no arrest has been made so far. The accused have been given a free hand and are roaming around threatening the victims. The victims allege that instead of taking action, the police is trying to suppress the case. Meanwhile, The Muknayak called Superintendent of Police Divyaang Patel to know the police’s side but could not talk to him.
Human rights activist Degree Prasad Chauhan told ‘The Mooknayak’ , “Caste atrocities have become common in this area. A few months ago, a Dalit settlement was attacked on the charge of voting against influential people of upper castes in the Panchayat elections. Even at that time, the police did not register an FIR, but threatened the victims with a counter case.”
He demanded from Chhattisgarh government that Pusaur police station area and especially Gotma Gram Panchayat be declared as ‘Atrocity Prone Area’ so that the victims can get effective protection and justice under the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
What does the law say?
The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
Section 3(1)(r): Public use of casteist words is a punishable offence
Section 3(1)(s): Threatening a Scheduled Caste person with social boycott is an offence
Section 3(2)(v): Provides harsher punishment if crime is committed for racial reasons
Punishment: 6 months to life imprisonment
